In the operation of a semiconductor device, heat is usually generated. The amount of heat generated will affect the operation and the efficiency of the semiconductor device. Thus, it is important for the heat to be dissipated from the semiconductor device. The heat may be dissipated from the semiconductor device in a number of different manners. For example, the heat may be dissipated into the surrounding ambient atmosphere through convection. In other instances the amount of heat generated by the semiconductor device may require the use of an external cooling mechanism. An example of an external cooling mechanism is a fan that blows cooling air over an integrated circuit to carry away heat.
Presently, some semiconductor devices remove the heat generated by using a heat spreader. The heat spreader will absorb the heat generated from the semiconductor device and transferred the heat to the ambient atmosphere or to some external heat sink.
A problem arises when a heat spreader is used in a Ball Grid Array (BGA) device. When a bottom side heat spreader is used in a BGA device, the heat spreader may be attached to a Printed Circuit Assembly (PCA) in one of two manners. First, the heat spreader may be directly soldered to the PCA. Second, solder balls may be attached to the heat spreader and the solder balls are used to attach the BGA device to the PCA. When the solder balls are attached to the heat spreader, it is difficult for the solder balls to retain a spherical shape. During a reflow process, each solder ball will typical wet out a greater area such that the solder ball will amount to a “mound” of solder as opposed to a near spherical shape. When this happens, all the solder balls will not be at a uniform height. Thus, it will be difficult for the solder balls to contact the PCA board.
Therefore, a need existed to provide a device and method that overcomes the above problems. The device and method will provide enhanced pathways for dissipation of heat from the semiconductor package by enabling solder balls to retain a spherical shape when attached to a heat spreader.